Ultimate Rhoads

I'm interested in hearing about what people thought about the Metal Health album when it came out at #1 in 1983. I was only 6 years old at the time, but I could always hear cool stuff being played out of my older brother and sisters rooms at that time. Thats how I learned about cool guitar music. The first records I remember really being a big deal at the time were Diver Down, Metal Health, Number of the Beast, Defenders of the Faith, Blackout, Stop Making Sense, Heartbeat City, and Syncronicity. I know there was another big album at the time, but at least that had Ed on one track . We would all gather to watch stuff like friday night videos or anything that showed videos to see the videos from these albums. It would be another 2 years before we moved close enough to a town that we could get cable tv from. In 1985 we finally lived in town where we could finally get cable tv, and mtv with it. To be honest I really didn't start to hear about Randy until Tribute came out in "87. If I remember correctly, the Crazy Train video from Tribute was the real first video on mtv that even had Randy in it. But anyway, I didn't mean to stray off my main question. Why was Metal Health so big at the time? I always figured it was because Randy was known to be in Quiet Riot before he was with The Blizzard Of Ozz. But was that really that well known at the time, and besides the L.A. locals, did anyone know who Quiet Riot was? Was it because it came out not long after the accident? I would be happy to hear what anyone remembers about that time that was old enough to see this stuff!

I was a big fan of Quiet Riot back in 1983 and to be truthful i don't think the RR connection helped the album to sell. I just think the time the album came out was a crucial year for Rock HM music. At the time i never made the connection with the earlier line up being connected to Randy Rhoads until i seen the Japanese imports of QR I - II. I knew who Randy was with him being in the Blizzard line up. The Metal Health album was 100% better in production and tunes and not to slur on Randy but i think it would of been the same band with the same success if Randy was still in the band in 83. I have asked myself the question would Randy of joined up with Rudy after he had finished his business with Ozzy ?. Regardless of his plans with UCLA etc and doing his degree.

It seems like the golden age af heavy metal was really at it's peak at that time. Thanks for your reply Idol! I've been visiting this site for years now, and I enjoy reading what you hardcore fans have to say!

HEAVY rotation on MTV pushed that record... Cum On Feel the Noize was a hit with non-metal fans as well. Personally, I picked up Metal Health right after it was released at an import shop because of the Randy connection and really didn't care for it at all. It's grown on me over the years.